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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · shower · key · wax · firm · swing · cue · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cue — a signal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — a hint
  11. key — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — for pool
  15. firm — a company
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mine — for digging
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com